Hello and thank you for your time. My question is this: I need a new mass airflow sensor and instead of buying a aftermarket one for $300 can't I just buy the housing for one and install the "element" myself and save some money?? I want the most airflow possible because I pretty much did my whole exhaust and intake already. (twin 58mm throttle body, 160 degree thermostat, Borla cat back system, SLP headers, K & N Cold Air induction kit, etc...) I actually had a Granatelli mass airflow sensor and it went bad so I replaced it temporarily with a stock sensor. I am now looking to correct the problem without spending $300 again and noticed the housings for sale. Will a new housing with stock element installed give me the same airflow as a aftermarket sensor from JET or Granatelli?? Again my thanks for your time.

Sincerely,
Christopher

(The above question is for my 1994 Camaro Z28 but I also have a 1995 Trans Am)

 

What have you done to the engine that requires a 58mm throttle body? Something beyond the CAI and headers?

 

Just trying for the best intake and exhaust possible to make room for a pro charger supercharger. I forgot to mention a 175 shot of nitrous (finally finished buying the whole nitrous setup including purge valve, nitrous mastermind and all the goodies).....One thing clear... This hobby is expensive as hell... I will be going into the engine soon but right now money is evading me... You can tell from my post that I'm trying to save some money so I have more to spend on both cars... Buy the best once so you don't have to think about it a second time....

 

You don't need a 58mm throttle body, and you don't need anything other than the stock MAF sensor. The engine doesn't flow any more air that it can use. Adding a grossly oversized throttle body accomplishes nothing. You already have virtually no pressure loss at WOT with the stock MAF and the stock 48mm TB. Making them larger makes totally insignificant reductions in pressure loss, and you will not gain measureable power.

I've got a 381ci LT1 that makes 496 flywheel HP on straight motor. I provided a 58mm TB to the shop that was building the engine. They still laugh at me every time they see it. They were able to show me, on an engine dyno, that the engine air flow maxed out at 77% throttle opening, and showed no change in HP/air flow by opening it to 100%. If you do the calculations, you will find that I could have made the same HP with a 52mm TB. Even adding the 300-shot of dry nitrous, they told me I didn't need the 58mm TB. They had a 1,125HP 383ci LT1 running a 58mm TB, and they felt that was probably justified.

You are only kidding yourself if you think "bigger is better" at this point.

 

I never should have mentioned that damn throttle body... Listen, I fix computers for a living so I already know about "your only as fast as your slowest connection"... I already know that there isn't any more horsepower gained from me putting a twin 58mm throttle body on.... It's called the old throttle body was sticking so I needed a new one... So why not get the best you can get?? Every time a part breaks I try to replace it with the best I can get my hands on and do not believe in replacing the part with a stock item?? Common sense really... I should have never mentioned the damn throttle body because you are mistaking me for someone who wants a **** measuring contest... I do not... I just want to replace the parts that break with better ones of higher performance.. Money is tight lately because I decided to sink all mine into a 2011 CTS-V coupe so forgive me if I'm looking for advice to save money on the mass air flow sensor on my camaro... One thing is for sure, I am not putting a stock sensor on my vehicle because I'm looking for piece of mind that I get knowing that my intake is as free flowing as I can get it for the time being?? (procharger soon) If your so knowledgeable then you just would have answered my original question and NOT have tried to make me feel like ****?? It's just not going to work because I love all my cars with the exception of my insurance payments... They suck.... So please just answer my original question or don't even bother?? You must have nothing better to do than mock people with questions?? That sir is the definition of a looser.... (had to say it, but I know I'm not the only person thinking it)

 

Now can somebody knowledgeable answer my original question and not mock me??

 

Never mind.... Problem dealt with already....

 

Why don't you just CIO out the stock Maf ends and smooth it out..... There is no power from a larger Maf.. I had a slp 85mm and it was worth nothing but headache while tuning

 

I hope I can answer your question.....

You COULD change the element over, however if you need a new MAF, why would your reuse the old Element? Not sure? You won't see any gains from adding a larger one at this time. When you add some FI and start pushing more air in there, then yes the larger TB will be better.

 

Now that you've misinterpreted my question, and got all pi$$ed off, let's calm down and think it through.

You asked about replacing the MAF sensor. In order to know what you needed, I needed to know what kind of air demand your engine has. Since you had identified a 58mm TB as part of the flow stream, I wanted to know what modifications justified that part, since those modifications would also affect the selection of the MAF sensor.

Sorry I offended you.... and I'll avoid your posts in the future, since you've chosen to respond to my attempt to help with childish insults. With your attitude, you may find it difficult to find help at all.

Good luck!

 

I agree with the above. We can't help you if you don't let us know alittle more about your car. We are not there looking under your hood.

 

The aftermarket MAFs Ive seen have the exact same housing as stock (only composite instead of aluminum), so I believe they're all interchangable. The electronics are different I think, the output is scaled a bit differently or will read slightly higher airflow. The stock sensor will measure up tp 512 gm/sec of airflow (over 500hp). There is basically zero reason to ever get an aftermarket MAF, especially in your situation where money is tight and you just want to replace stock parts with more expensive aftermarket ones.